Using Adobe
Photoshop 5.5 gives me the ability to match model paint to the color paint chips
from Don's Color with a lot less work.
The color picker in
Photoshop allows me to scan a color chip to get the color Hue, the Saturation
percentage, and the Brightness percentage.
If Model Master has
a color that is the same ANA or FS number I will start with that color.
The color is sprayed
on a one square inch piece of plastic, then scanned to Photoshop for
comparison with Don's Color chips.
Comparing the color
Hues, I can tell what color needs to be added to the paint mix to get the Model Master
paint to more closely match Don's Color paint chips.
Comparing the
color's saturation, I can tell if more color needs to be added to the paint or
if the color should be more grayed out.
Comparing the
color's brightness, I can tell if the paint needs more black or white.
Click on
images below to see larger images
These are some of
the basic colors I use on model aircraft.
Navy Blue
Gray QMS # 12, used on Navy aircraft in 1941 for the topside color on
carrier and land based aircraft.
Model Master 1721 FS
35237 Medium Gray is almost a perfect match for QMS # 12.
Model Master doesn't
make FS 35189 which some references say is a close match to QMS # 12.
Navy Sea
Gray ANA 603 used on Navy aircraft in 1942-43 for the topside color on
carrier, land based, and amphibious aircraft.
Model Master 1723 FS
36118 is a close match to ANA 603.
Navy Blue
Gray QMS # M-485 used on Navy patrol and amphibious aircraft in 1941
and '42.
Model Master 2055
M-485 Navy Blue Gray is a close match but is about 20% lighter and 13% less
color saturation than the color chip from Don's Color.
The Photos;
The three models
show the use of these colors, the SBD is QMS #12 Blue Gray, the F4F is ANA 603
Sea Gray, and the Catalina is QMS # M-485 Blue Gray.
The color Hue chart
has the color hue 204 highlighted because most of the colors discussed are in
this range.
The photos show Don's
Color paint chips with the right half of the chip made 20% lighter
so the color can be seen as it would look when it fades.
The Saturation of a
color will also decrease as it fades, but I only increased the brightness for
clarity.
The photos of the Model
Master paint chips were made from scans of the paint sprayed on
plastic card stock.
The photo of the P
400 shows that the Adobe Photoshop color picker can be used to find the color
hues in color photos.
Using Adobe
Photoshop 5.5 makes it quite a bit easier to match paint than the old way of matching
paint by eye.
David Rapasi
Click on
images below to see larger images
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